MARGAO
A host of issues were discussed at the Raia gram sabha, including the issue of migrants, People’s Bio-diversity Register (PBR), naming of village roads and also approved the budget for the new financial year.
The gram sabha resolved to keep on hold the People’s Bio-diversity Register (PBR) and has decided to bring it before the next gram sabha after the PBR goes through sufficient review by the villagers.
The gram sabha also approved the budget estimates for the year 2021-22 after discussions. While the total expenditure projected for 2021-22 was pegged at Rs 3.86 crore, the income is expected to be Rs 2.20 crore.
The proposal to name village roads after prominent personalities could not be approved due to divergent views amongst the gram sabha members.
The meeting chaired by Sarpanch Esmeralda Gomes discussed the issue of PBR when the same had come up before the gram sabha for approval. When gram sabha member Edwin Vaz raised the issue, it came to light that a copy of the PBR had not been made available for review to the sarpanch and other panch members.
Gram sabha member Edwin Vaz pointed out that Section 3.4 of the Guidelines for Operationalisation of BMCs clarifies that the People’s Biodiversity Register knowledge is to be protected principally in matters of regulation of access to agencies and individuals outside the village limits, and not from the villagers themselves.
He said villagers have every right to review and suggest changes and/or make additions to the contents of the PBR before it can be considered for approval by the gram sabha. Therefore, a printed copy of the draft PBR should be made available at the panchayat office for review by the villagers,” he added.
Sarpanch Esmeralda Gomes later told the media that the PBR has been kept on hold, adding that it was proposed to consider the matter of approval of the PBR in the next gram sabha meeting after a copy of the draft PBR is made available and after the PBR goes through sufficient review by the villagers.
Agitated gram sabha members also raised the issue of migrants staying in rented rooms, demanding to know the action initiated by the panchayat. They demanded that the panchayat take the tenant verification of the migrants in order to ascertain their antecedents.
Sarpanch Esmeralda informed that the panchayat has compiled a file containing the list of the migrants, adding that the panchayat has been working with the police department to maintain register of the tenants.
